A group of Year 8 students attended the Auckland Writers Festival on the 11th of May. Different accomplished authors spoke to us, describing their lives and their work process for creating books. They reminded us of how anything is possible, if only you use your imagination, as this is exactly what these authors had done. Brian Selznick, author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, spoke to us about how he took his pain and his hope and turned it into books. Shilo Kino, author of The Pōrangi Boy, took real life events and spun it into a book speaking of the injustices to Māori people. Jesse O, talked to us about using your imagination, turning what could be, to what can be, and Ben Brown, the Reading Ambassador, spoke to us about book recommendations and why we should read. We left having been inspired by all of these people .
Charlotte Houliston, Year 8
